Vulnerable
by ffreaderwriter
Summary: Missing scene to Stilleto. What exactly happened after Clark was shot? Reviews are always welcomed.


"Lois, you've got to get me out of here." He said pain etched across his face and in his voice.

_How could things have gone so horribly wrong?_ She thought as tears began to stream down her face. She had only wanted to get a story published. Now, because of her normal rushing in without thinking, one of her best friends lay with a bullet wound in him.

"Okay" she said and nodded her head, not bothering to wipe away her tears. She barely registered the fact that Jimmy said the ambulance was on its way. She had to fix this. Clark said he needed out; she was going to get him out. She could hardly believe how his voice sounded so weak when he talked. _Well, he was just shot_ she chided herself, leaving off the last of the thought "_protecting you."_ She couldn't help but noticed how heavily he was leaning on her as they left the room.

She _had_ to know how badly he was hurt. She knew from growing up at Army bases the damage a bullet could do. She couldn't wait for the ambulance to get there. She had to know _now_. As soon as they were outside she looked over at Jimmy "You got him?" She barely gave him time to nod before she let go of Clark and snatched up his shirt.

"Lois!?!"

She was oblivious to the shock in Clark's voice as she made a quick assessment of the wound before flipping his shirt back down. Another thing she had picked up at the base, the ability to quickly asses the severity of an injury. She didn't notice the look of disbelief on Clark's face. "It's a through and through. That's better. You're going to be fine." She was said it more to herself than to anyone else.

Lois saw a bench nearby. "Jimmy, help me get him over here until the ambulance comes."

"I'm not completely helpless," Clark protested lightly.

Lois finally came out of her momentary tunnel vision and for once was actually happy to have Clark argue with her. She would not let him know that. Instead, Lois just glared at him and put his arm around her shoulder again.

"I am not going to the hospital." Clark stated.

Lois noticed that his voice definitely sounded stronger than it had when they were inside. That was a good sign.

"Yes, you are," she stated firmly, leaving no room for further argument, she said as she maneuvered around to position Clark on the bench.

Jimmy looked between the two of them uncertain. He wasn't sure what to do but really didn't want to get caught in the crosshairs of this argument. "Jimmy, could you give me just a moment." She gave him a small smile that left him knowing that she was going to take the situation from here.

"Sure" He said as he stepped into the street to look for the ambulance.

"Lois, you just said that it wasn't that bad." Clark argued. He certainly wasn't about to go to the hospital or let Lois see him heal, which was actually taking a little longer than he expected.

Lois wondered if shock had set in and Clark was in some form of denial. "Clark," She said slower and more forceful. "You've been shot. You need to go to the hospital."

"Trust me, Lois," Clark said as he grunted slightly. "I haven't forgotten that fact."

Lois felt a new wave of guilt spill over her as she watched Clark try to adjust his position on the bench. When was she ever going to learn to look before she leaped head first into things?

"I don't need to go to the hospital." He tried to reason with her. "As soon as I get there they'll say it's just a flesh wound and not do anything except make me talk to the cops and fill out a whole lot of paperwork."

"I don't know about you." He looked her up and down hoping she would catch the hint about her current attire. "I don't really want to have a long talk with the police right now. Do you?"

Lois hadn't thought about that. She seemed to be doing a lot of that lately. Remembering her state of 'undress' and the long hours of sitting in cold, hard plastic chairs, explaining things to an overworked, unbelieving officer and innumerable nasty cups of 'cop coffee'. She grudgingly agreed with Clark. She hated it when he made sense. She was not going to let him think that she was going to give up without a fight. "Jimmy has already called the ambulance."

"They can help those guys you took down in there."

"Alright, fine. We'll go." As she got up she could almost swear she saw a hint of a smile on his face "Alright Jimmy, let's go."

"No hospital?" Jimmy asked quickly.

"Nope, I'm going home." Clark said. Lois immediately reached for his good arm to help him up. He didn't protest, even leaning into her a little. He didn't feel like he needed it anymore but knew it made her feel better.

"I swear, Smallville, I don't know how your Mother puts up with you."


End file.
